Weapons and Shooting Statistics (added May 2018)

Official memo on weapons seized on both sides of the border between 1969-1976 with a breakdown of types of weapons and a summary of key seizures. The information was supplied by the RUC Data Reference Centre which carried out intelligence analysis under the aegis of Special Branch. This February 1977 memo highlights the involvement of republican and loyalist organisations in the importation of weapons. It is striking that this (and hundreds of other declassified official documents) refer only to the UDA and never to the fictional UFF which was the nom de guerre used until the UDA was finally proscribed in 1992.

The document notes that the UDA was believed to have imported weapons in a container lorry from Belgium in October 1976. It goes on to speculate that "...UDA and UVF units in Belfast are apparently highly pleased with the excellent quality of the home-made SMGs [Ed note-Sub-Machine Guns] they are now receiving. " No 'UFF' weapons were seized because the Data Reference Centre, Chief Constable, GOC and SoS were well aware that there was no such organisation.